Abstract: A furrow closing apparatus for an agricultural planter producing an open seed furrow in the soil into which seeds are sequentially deposited, comprising a pair of rotary forks mountable on the planter on opposite sides of the open seed furrow and at a location rearwardly of the seed depositing mechanism; each rotary fork having a hub portion for rotational mounting on the planter and a plurality of radially projecting rigid tines rigidly secured to the hub portion; said tines having an arcuate configuration in a radial direction thereby producing a convex soil engaging surface which imparts a compressing action to the soil adjacent the sidewall of the open seed trench to fragmentize both sidewalls and an adjacent strip to cover the deposited seed with the fragmentized soil particles.

Abstract: A spring tooth harrow comprising an elongated tool bar having a plurality of harrow sections secured thereto by adjustable mounting brackets to enable the harrow section to be raised or lowered with respect to the draw bar. Each harrow section includes a pair of longitudinally extending arms which are pivotally secured to the mounting brackets and which are urged downwardly with respect thereto by pairs of springs. Fork pipes are rotatably mounted on the arms and extend therebetween and have spring teeth secured thereto. The pipes may be rotatably moved in unison to change the angle of attack of the spring teeth or the forwardmost pipe may be independently rotated with respect to the remaining pipes so that the angle of attack of the forwardmost spring teeth may be varied with respect to the trailing spring teeth.

Abstract: A grain drill row unit includes a furrow opening device that opens a furrow into which seeds are deposited as the machine advances, and a combination gauge and press wheel rides along the ground behind the furrow opening device to firm the soil around the seed and to control the depth at which the furrow opening device operates. A paddle type scraping wheel is rotatably mounted on a support above the gauge wheel axis, the scraper wheel having edges at the outer ends of the paddles, generally parallel to the axis of the scraper wheel but angled relative to the axis of the gauge wheel, the scraper wheel edges engaging material on the periphery of the gauge wheel and being rotated by contact with said material so that the scraper wheel edges scrape the periphery of the gauge wheel.

Abstract: A manual snow removal tool has a blade, a pivotable handle, and a load transfer subassembly for structural rigidity and distributing force applied by a user through the handle to the blade. The load transfer subassembly defines an elongated channel, spaced from the handle pivot mount, through which the handle extends. The handle is slidable within the channel over a range of angular positions. The snow removal tool also has an angle adjustment mechanism for selectively positioning the handle at a desired angular position. The shovel can be used to scoop or windrow snow.

Abstract: Mechanically attached adapters are beneficial in cutting edge assemblies for the ease of assembly and disassembly. However, they must be easily assembled and disassembled and must be able to withstand harsh operating conditions. In the subject arrangement, a cutting edge assembly is provided including a base edge having a stop member solidly secured thereto spaced from a leading edge thereof and extending upwardly from the base edge. A mechanically attached adapter has a forward working end portion and a rearward end portion for securing the mechanically attached adapter to the base edge. The rearward end portion has an upper strap portion, a lower strap portion spaced from the upper strap portion and interconnected therewith by an intermediate portion to define a cavity. The upper strap portion has an elongate slot which receives the stop member during assembly. A portion of the base edge is received in the cavity and a retainer mechanism is disposed in the elongate slot spaced from the stop member.

Abstract: This invention is a soil backfilling device mounted on a vehicle used for producing a plurality of aeration holes in a single operation. A control is provided for metering the backfill media into a plurality of metering tubes and a second control is used for selectively disbursing the backfill from the metering tubes into the aeration holes. The backfilling device is shown in conjunction with one type of multiple aeration hole forming machine but, of course, it could be used in conjunction with other machines accomplishing the same results.

Abstract: An edger having a main frame, at least one front wheel fastened in the front portion of the main frame, two rear wheels fastened in the rear portion of the main frame, a rotary blade disposed in the front portion of either side of the main frame and capable of conducting edging, an engine mounted on the main frame and a driving device for operating the rotary blade with the engine, the edger comprising: a supporting arm for supporting the rear wheel positioned opposite to the rotary blade in such a manner that the position of the rear wheel positioned opposite to the rotary blade can be vertically adjusted with respect to the main frame; and a positioning mechanism for positioning the vertical position of the rear wheel disposed between the main frame and the supporting arm.

Abstract: A pneumatic seedling transplanter comprising a beating plate for a tray of seedlings to be planted in which the tray has open portions below the seedlings and the bearing plate has at least one opening which can be aligned with the open portions of the tray to permit a seedling to be dropped from the tray through the opening in the bearing plate, a guide tube below the opening in the bearing plate for guiding a dropped seedling downward to be planted, and a source of suction selectively applicable to the guide tube as an impulse of suction to quickly release the seedling to be planted from the tray and induce the seedling to fall through the opening in the bearing plate and into the guide tube and to continue to fall through the guide tube under the influence of gravity, the source of suction including first and second annular chambers, and a vacuum chamber in communication with the guide tube, whereby expansion of one of the annular chambers expands the vacuum chamber to create the impulse of suction and exp

Abstract: A method of hydraulic dredging employing apparatus and a procedure for subsidence dredging for subsurface removal of sandy strata which results in subsidence, or drop in elevation of the bottom deposits of a body of water, wherein sand is mined laterally beneath the surface by a combination jetting/siphoning device and is transported from the site of dredging by pipeline apparatus connected to pumping apparatus to an adjacent beach location; and wherein the procedure employs removal of hydraulic pressure which results in subsidence or sinking of the upper layer of marine deposits where the amount of subsidence is directly related to the subsurface quantity of material removed and the removed material is used for beach nourishment with minimal damage to shellfish or finfish inasmuch as the surface beneath the deposits are left intact.

Abstract: A method for forming a blade adapted to be attached to an earthworking vehicle and the resultant wear resistant blade has a wear surface assembly which includes a carbide insert sandwiched between a steel plate and a composite material within a pocket on the front surface of the blade spaced from the blade cutting edge.

Abstract: A double spring reset standard and spring bracket therefor particularly useful for intermediate tillage operations at depths of approximately 13 inches wherein high average draft loads are in the range of 2000 pounds. The moment arm that the springs must resist to keep the standard from tripping during normal operation is minimized by bringing the draft force line closer to the standard pivot. The spring bracket which must be able to resist extremely high torsional stresses is fabricated from 0.375 inch thick metal blanks in a single cold die operation and includes offsets and specially designed edge flanges to reduce edge stresses at the offset bends.

Abstract: A resilient seed firming attachment for a planting machine designed to effectively place seed at a consistent depth and at consistent spacing. The attachment may be of any geometrical configuration having a length adequate to firm the seed in the opened furrow and is mounted in a position trailing the discharge end of a seed boot. The resilience of the seed firming attachment being variable and having a control mechanism to ensure that sufficient force is applied to the seed to firm it into the soil at the desired planting depth. By controlling the amount of flex, the proper seed planting depth and firming will be accomplished in a variety of soil and moisture conditions. The seed firming device is also variable so that the amount of down pressure will not modify the depth desired and obtained by the furrow opening device.

Abstract: An improved folding marker for an agricultural implement that is partially self-supporting in the use position and during a portion of the folding operation. An inner arm is pivotally attached to the agricultural implement for simultaneous movement in both the horizonal and vertical directions. A caster wheel is attached to the inner arm to support the inner arm above the ground. An outer arm is pivotally attached to the inner arm for movement in a generally vertical direction. A marker device is attached to the outer arm for scoring the ground. An actuator is attached to the implement and the back portion of the inner arm for moving the inner arm between the use position and backwards toward the rear of the implement to a transport position. A series of pulley systems are attached to the marker so that the inner and outer arms raise vertically upward when the inner arm is moved from the use position to the transport position, and vice versa.

Abstract: A pavement cutting and excavating tool comprising an excavation bucket and a cutting disc. The tool is mountable to a construction vehicle such as a backhoe. A disc housing is disposed in the backhoe bucket, and the cutting disc is disposed in the housing. Accordingly, the cutting disc of the present invention is substantially more narrow than the backhoe bucket in which it is partially disposed.

Abstract: The subsoiler has shank assemblies which are designed to cut a thin, clean slice in the soil without frontal upheaval forces that would cause eruption of the soil in a turbulent manner ahead of the shank line. The soil lifting components at the bottom of the shank are configured to produce generally laminar soil flow over and around their lifting surfaces so that the upwardly and outwardly directed fracturing forces occur behind the leading shank line in a readily controllable manner and without disturbing residue and other materials on top of the ground. The subsoiling profile at the bottom of the shank may be varied by interchanging variously configured points and caps which are securely but removably secured to the shank. An alternate embodiment provides adjustment of the profile presented to the soil by having a portion of the component angularly vertically adjustable to vary the angle of attack of its lifting surfaces.

Abstract: An agricultural implement designed for distributing anhydrous ammonia by laterally spaced applicator knives includes an elongated wagon hitch frame which has a forward end pivotally mounted to a forward section of the implement frame and a rear end which carries a drawbar and hitch clevis for a trailing wagon carrying a tank of anhydrous ammonia. As the implement is raised, the rear end of the wagon hitch frame drops away from the implement frame so that the height of the wagon hitch above the ground remains substantially constant and the implement hitch section and wagon tongue remain in line. The break-away coupler for the main hose from the anhydrous tank to the implement is provided with a swing arm to facilitate disconnection of the main hose even when the anhydrous wagon is sharply angled. In the case of a larger implement, having right and left pivoting wings, the frames of the wing sections are strengthened with efficient use of upper and lower laterally spaced channel stiffeners.

Abstract: A grader blade unit is provided for ready attachment to small tractors in place of an underslung mower deck. A grader blade is attached to a turntable for pivotable adjustment to selected angular settings. An extensible draw bar affixed to the turntable has a front mounting yoke at its forward end. A rear mounting yoke is affixed to the turntable. The front and rear mounting yokes are adjustable in width and the drawbar is adjustable in length so as to accommodate the mounting links of different tractors. Wing sections hingedly connected to the opposite ends of the central blade are adjustable to selected angular positions relative to the central blade. Foot stirrups are removably affixed to the blade for controlling the slope of the blade in use.

Abstract: An agricultural plow implement includes a number of upright supports, with each support supporting a shallow tillage V-shaped sweep blade. A mounting plate is attached to the rear of each upright support and a specially adapted ripper shank, with an attached deep penetrating ripper blade, is attachable to each plate via a pair of bolts which extend through respective mounting bores in the plate. One of the bolts in each pair is a pivot bolt which provides a pivot point about which the ripper shank can swing. The other bolt is a shear pin which is designed to shear off should the ripper blade encounter an obstruction which might otherwise bend or break the ripper blade and/or the ripper shank. The ripper shank is adjustable vertically relative to the sweep blade and the ripper shank can also be pivoted 180 degrees between operative and non-operative positions when it is desired to do a sweep operation without soil ripping.

Abstract: A soil breaking apparatus for use with a bottom plow comprises a beam pivotally attached by a bolt to the bottom plow; a port arm and a starboard arm fixedly attached to the beam; and a two-way hydraulic cylinder for pivoting the arms and the beams, such that the arms are oriented substantially parallel to the soil despite the tilting of the bottom plow. The soil breaking apparatus is suitable for use with bottom plows, such as bidirectional moldboard plows. The clumps or clods of soil turned up during plowing are broken up by soil breaking rods that depend from and are spaced along the arms. An improved plow combines the features of the soil breaking apparatus with those of a reversible bottom plow.

Abstract: A scarifier/grader apparatus comprises, in combination, a tractor connected through a 3-point hitch to a scarifier/grader attachment wherein:the tractor is adapted to be operably connected through a three point hitch to a scarifier/grader attachment comprising a scarifier including hydraulics for raising and lowering a plurality of scarifying teeth borne thereon in laterally pivotable relation on a bracket that is angled in a forward direction to improve the angle of attack;a grading blade having a mold board and a cutting edge;a second frame interconnecting the scarifier frame and the blade in mutually spaced apart relation with the scarifier in operably leading relation and the blade in operably trailing relation,wherein the scarifier includes height-adjusting hydraulics for selectively raising and lowering the plurality of scarifying teeth borne thereon relative to the cutting edge.